Category: Twin Pregnancy

Our last weekly update! Jerry and I will finally be meeting our babies tomorrow. I’ve had these precious little Beans all to myself for 38 weeks. It’s time to share them with the world. Oh. My. Goodness. Someone pinch me!

per whattoexpect.com

Your little one isn’t quite so little anymore, weighing close to seven pounds and measuring nearly 21 inches long. Only two more weeks (or plus two more, max) before your baby makes his or her appearance!

Baby’s Preparing for Birth
At 38 weeks pregnant, all systems are almost go! As you prepare for baby’s ETA, he or she is also getting ready, big time. Vernix and lanugo continue to shed from your baby’s body into the amniotic fluid. Your baby swallows that amniotic fluid and some of it winds up in his or her intestines where it — along with other shed cells, bile and other waste products (triple yum) — will turn into your baby’s first bowel movement (meconium) and perhaps your first diaper change. His lungs continue to mature and produce more and more surfactant, a substance that prevents the air sacs in his lungs from sticking to one another once he starts to breathe. Most other changes this week are small but important: He’s continuing to add fat and fine-tuning his brain and nervous system (so he can deal with all the stimulation that awaits him once he makes his entrance into the world).

Bump 38w0days

Look at me! Mixing it up for my last bumpdate. Truth be told….I don’t fit into much at the moment.

Ultrasound 37w5d

Big Beans = dumb ultrasound

It’s awesome that they’ve gotten big (her best estimate is around 6 lbs each) but they’re so squished in there that it was hard to see anything. We did get some good heartbeats. They were practicing breathing and swallowing and there was lots of wiggling going on.

The biggest development is that Butterbean has flopped himself from a Vertex position (head down) to more of a Transverse presentation (sideways). So there is a concern that if we attempt a natural delivery, once Lima bean comes out, Butterbean could stay transverse or flip to Breech (feet/butt first). Which could lead to the double whammy of both a natural delivery and a c-section.

We had a long conversation with our doctor and I made it perfectly clear that I did not have any expectations of how these kids are born. I want them safe, bottom line. So we agreed on a c-section for on Thursday, 4/30. I’m 100% ok with this decision.

How I’m feeling

Uncomfortable. That’s all I can say. I’m just uncomfortable all around. I have basically all of the same complaints as the last few weeks but none of them are horrible.

I have had lots of random contractions but nothing with a definite beginning or end. Sometimes one will last 5 or 6 minutes. They’re not really painful…I might never feel an actual contraction. That’s fine by me! Still getting really crampy. And my feet are all swollen again.

I’ll have a whole new set of complaints starting tomorrow!

Movement

They don’t move a ton but they’re movements have really changed. For starters, Butterbean keeps getting hiccups! Neither baby has really had any the entire pregnancy but it’s a daily occurrence this week. And Lima bean’s movements are really slow but super strong. These two are ready to stretch their limbs!

Random Thoughts/Observations/Stuff

* Tomorrow, Jerry and I will go from husband and wife, to Mom and Dad. I can’t even wrap my head around that. We’ve waited for 3 1/2 years for these little Beans. I love them so much already…I can’t imagine how I’ll feel about them once they’re here.

* Who wants to wager on how much sleep I’ll get tonight? I’ll consider myself lucky if I get 3 hours.

* Thanks to everyone for all of the support and sweet comments over the last 9 months. I’ll try and post an update on our little family as soon as I can. In the meantime, you can always follow me on Instagram…it’s a little easier to navigate from the hospital.

Yep, still here. Still Pregnant. But we made it to full term! Holy geez, that’s insane!

per whattoexpect.com

Baby Is Full-Term
Congratulations! At 37 weeks pregnant, you’ve got what is officially considered a full-term baby, even with three weeks to go. That means if your baby was to leave the wet nest this week, he or she would likely thrive. But it doesn’t mean he’s finished growing — in fact, he’s still packing on about a half an ounce per day or half a pound a week. At this age, the average fetus weighs about 6.5 pounds — boys, though, are likely to be heavier at birth than girls. And here’s a bit of boy baby trivia to back that one up: Moms carrying boys tend to eat more than moms carrying girls (a foreshadowing of teenage refrigerator raids to come). That makes it a little crowded in your uterus, so he’s probably not kicking as much, though he’s probably stretching, rolling a bit and wiggling (all of which you’ll be able to feel!).

Practicing for Birth
So what’s keeping your little one busy while waiting it out until D-day? Practice, practice, practice. Right now, your little superstar is busy rehearsing for his big debut, simulating breathing by inhaling and exhaling amniotic fluid, sucking on his or her thumb, blinking and pivoting from side to side (one day you feel the tushy on the left side, another day it has swung around to the right side).

Baby’s Head Is Huge!
Here’s an interesting fact: Your baby’s head (which, by the way, is still growing) will, at birth, be the same size circumference as his or her hips, abdomen and shoulders. And guess what’s making an impression (literally) these days on those shoulders and hips: fat — causing little dimples in those cute elbows and knees, shoulders and hip and creases and folds in the neck and wrists.

The bump – 37w1d

Oooooofffffa! That’s a big ole belly! And a picture with my self timer so I look much bigger than I really am.

Riggggghhhhtttttt……

NST – 37w0d (written in real time)

Our appointment was grrrrrrrreat! So great.

Ok, so my blood pressure was a little high…134/82. And Butterbean wouldn’t wake up so they had to use the baby tazer on him (it’s just a little thingy that vibrates and jostles the baby so they wake up a bit).

But the babies look fantastic. And apparently I’ve been having contractions! Show of hands…who is shocked I had no clue? Yeah, crickets. I had a couple that showed up on the monitor while I was there. The nurse asked if I felt the tightening and it’s what I’ve been feeling over the last week. I’ve been referring to the sensation to the “babies pushing on me”. It feels like they’re both pushing their butts out as hard as they can…it’s super uncomfortable, but not painful. And it’s accompanied by cramping but I’ve been having cramps for 2 weeks now. It’s nothing to get all worked up over because random contractions can go on for days.

But we also met with our MFM doctor. She questioned my BP and I told her that was pretty good for me lately. She asked what the plan was and Jerry and I just shrugged. I told her our OB wanted them to cook for a while and she replied that her cut off is 38 weeks. We’re going to see how my BP is tomorrow at my OB appt and she was going to call the office and let them know she’s fine signing off on an induction should I need it. I told her we had an ultrasound scheduled for Monday, 4/27 and she just laughed and gave a sarcastic “Ok…”. It didn’t appear she thought I would make it that long. But she also thought I would deliver @ 35-36 weeks so who knows!

So little Jenny Control Freak has an end point! Man, I feel 10000 times better when I have a plan in place. I will be 38 weeks on 4/29. If these beans don’t show up by then, they’ll induce me based on the hospital intake and doctor availability. Which means….we’ll definitely have babies by next weekend! Sweet!

Doctor’s appt – 37w1d (written in real time)

Weight gain – +39 lbs. 1st BP 154/90 2nd BP 132/70

My initial blood pressure reading was not good. I came pretty close to another trip to L&D for more monitoring. But they had me lay on my left side for a few minutes and it came down. Whew! They did a quick listen to the heartbeats and they were nice and strong.

Guess how far I’m dilated?!?! Zero centimeters. Whomp Whomp. (Btw, cervical checks suck. Not the actual check but the 2 hours of cramping afterwards. Not a fan.) So basically nothing is going on in Babyland.

We scheduled my induction for 38 weeks, exactly. At 11:59 pm on 4/29, we’ll report to L&D & get this party started. Hallelujah! Yeah, I know…I could go into labor on my own before then…yada, yada, yada. Let’s not get our hopes up. These Beans are pretty comfy right where they are and there is no way they’re coming out on their own. Mother’s intuition.

How I’m feeling

Dare I say…I’m feeling pretty good?!?! And I’m not lying!

My swelling has gone down considerably. I’m not as achy. My back feels a little better and my joints aren’t as stiff.

I do have a giant belly that weighs 493 lbs. I’ve been having lots of Braxton Hicks contractions and some annoying heartburn. Pelvic pressure has been increasing…kind feels like I’ve been kicked in the crotch with a steel toed boot. The cramps come and go, sometimes bad but not terrible overall.

But compared to how I felt over the last 2-3 weeks, this is fabulous!

Food

I want donuts. That is all.

Mood

Still all over the place. Happy, sad, grouchy, weepy, frustrated, giggly, overwhelmed…you name it, I got it. Hopefully if you interact with me, you catch me on an upswing.

Random Thoughts/Observations/Stuff

* I’ve been binge watching a crapton of TV from Netflix. Jerry and I just finished the first season of Bloodlines (definitely recommended) and now we’re getting sucked into Damages. I’m also watching Parenthood when he’s not around. Too sappy for him at the moment (I cry during every episode so I get it. I love those damn Bravermans!).

* I’m surprisingly not too sad about having to be induced. I feel Jerry and I have a few precious days left as a family of 2 (3 if you count Jacob) and I intend on savoring every minute. Don’t get me wrong…I am so excited to meet our babies. If you see me tearing up, it’s probably because that’s what I’m thinking about. But our world is about to get rocked in the best possible way. So we need to tear it up before they arrive! And by “tear it up”…I mean sleep and watch movies and be lazy.

Forget your aching back (and everything else!) by trying to focus on your baby, who is now about six pounds and 20 inches long. Growth will experience a slowdown now, both so your baby will be able to fit the narrow passageway to the outside and also so he or she can store up all the energy needed for delivery.

Fetal Skull and Bones
At 36 weeks pregnant, the skull bones are also not fused together yet so that the head can easily (well, relatively easily) maneuver through the birth canal. And your baby’s skull isn’t the only soft structure in his or her little body. Most of your baby’s bones and cartilage are quite soft as well (they’ll harden over the first few years of life) — allowing for an easier journey as your baby squeezes through the birth canal at delivery.

Baby’s Digestion Still Needs to Catch Up
By now, many of your baby’s systems are pretty mature, at least in baby terms — and just about ready for life on the outside. Blood circulation, for instance, has been perfected and your baby’s immune system has matured enough to protect him or her from infections outside the womb. Other systems, however, still need a few finishing touches. Once such notable example: digestion — which actually won’t be fully mature until sometime after birth. Why’s that? Inside his or her little gestational cocoon, your baby has relied on the umbilical cord for nutrition, meaning that the digestive system — though developed — hasn’t been operational. So your baby will take the first year or two to bring that system up to speed.

Bump 36w2d

Holy geez…look at this thing.

Some rare bare belly shots…belly button is hanging on by a thread.

NST – 36w0d

These appointments really are uneventful. Which is great! The exciting news is my blood pressure was 120/72. Apparently my body likes working from home. The babies looked great. Strong heartbeats and moving around like little ninjas.

Babies sound great on the Doppler. And I had my first cervical check. Nothing going on in there. Nada. These Beans are staying put forever.

What happens when you brag about your awesome blood pressure from your NST appointment? You earn another trip to Labor & Delivery!

Funny…this was the best I felt all week. But the doctor didn’t like way my BP looked, combined with the trace positive reading on my urine protein. And the puffy, Mama June face I was apparently sporting, sealed the deal for me.

Same thing as last time. They hooked me up to monitors, took some blood and got a BP reading every 15 minutes. Of course my BP calmed down (even dipping to 96/68 right after my blood draw) but the blood work & urine culture came back weakly positive for protein. It’s not at any alarming levels but was high enough to win me this coveted prize:

That ain’t OJ, boys and girls. That would be a jug to collect my urine for 24 hours. They want to get a better reading on the protein and this is the best way to do it. YAY!

How I’m feeling

I’m at a whole new level of miserable. This week I hit a brick wall. Remember that girl who looooooved being pregnant? Well she’s been squished by 93 lbs of babies that are super comfy in her uterus and have no intention on coming out. Ever. I try to keep reminding myself that I’ve had an amazingly, wonderfully easy pregnancy. But those glory days are a distant memory at this point.

* I complained about my knees before. Oh to go back to that level of pain would be a dream. I know how Nancy Kerrigan felt.

* If I stand for more than 2 minutes, my feet and ankles look like a busted can of biscuits. Swelling is out of control. Pregnancy is sexy, eh?

* My back is all jacked up. Mostly between my shoulder blades but a bit of mid/lower back pain shows up now and then.

* Cramps continue pretty much all day. It’s like a combo of menstrual cramps and gas pains. All along my lower belly, pelvis and down my legs.

* Braxton Hicks all day. Pretty much any time I stand and move around a lot. I took Jacob on a 15 minute walk and the whole thing was one big contraction.

* My bones ache. In particular my femurs. And my hips. And my phalanges (that would be the bones of the hands and feet)

* These Beans have dropped a ton. They are super low and I’m having a ton of pelvic pressure. When I sit down to pee, it feels like they’re gonna fall out. Yes, I know that can’t really happen (well, actually, it can…but it won’t with me.)

* Carpal tunnel sucks. My right hand is really bad with 3 fingers that never have any feeling. I can’t really make a fist, between the pain and the swelling. And my left thumb has zero strength…I can’t even pull off my socks!

But the babies are doing great…and that’s the most important hing. Making it past 36 weeks with twins is pretty kick ass. I kinda feel like a rockstar. An old, crusty, beat up Mick Jagger. That’s me.

Mood

I’m GROUCHY of epic proportions. I apologized to Jerry for being such a pill and he said I’ve been “just fine”…which I appreciate because I feel really bad that I’m a crankypants. He’s a peach. I’m just pretty moody overall…kind of like a Dr. Jekyll and Jenny Hyde.

Sleep

Sleep is so stupid right now. I’ve taken Unisom a couple of times and it helps me make it through the night. But it’s crappy sleep where I wake up every hour and don’t feel like I ever really hit a deep slumber. And I’m exhausted all day long.

Random Thoughts/Observations/Stuff

* I have all of my remaining doctors appointments scheduled. I have ONE NST, ONE ob checkup and ONE more ultrasound. Hopefully. Please cooperate, Beans. I’d really like to bust you out before May.

* Look what Jerry bought me for my birthday / push present!

a) how did even know what a “push present” was? b) I kinda thought the “push present” would be our babies. Doesn’t matter…I love it! And I can’t wait to start practicing with two teeny little models.

Fetal Weight Gain
Your baby is standing tall (so to speak) this week at about 20 inches (baby’s pretty much reached the in utero limit). But at about five and a half pounds, she is continuing her steady weight gain: She’ll pack on anywhere from one pound to several, including large amounts of baby fat, up ’til delivery day. In fact, back in the middle of your pregnancy your baby’s weight was only two percent fat; now at 35 weeks pregnant, that percentage has soared to closer to 15 percent…and will increase to 30 percent at term. Which means your baby’s once skinny arms and legs are now quite plump…and irresistibly, squeezably soft.

Baby’s Skull Remains Soft
Something else that’s developing at a mind-boggling pace these day: your baby’s brain power. Luckily, the part that surrounds that amazing brain — the skull — remains soft. And for good reason: A soft skull will allow your baby to squeeze more easily through the birth canal.

Bump 35w1d

I think some little stripes have shown up on my lower belly. I say “think” because I can’t really see what’s happening south of my belly button. Whatever…it is what it is at this point.

L&D 34w6d

You didn’t think I’d escape this pregnancy without a little drama, did you? Fortunately, on the grand drama scale, this trip was pretty low.

I had been checking my blood pressure daily (per my MFM doctor) as it had been steadily creeping up. I felt a little off on Tuesday morning (dizzy, nauseous, lightheaded) so I checked it earlier than normal and it was 140/86 and 142/84 within 15 minutes. Cue panic because I was told anything over 140 systolic and 82 diastolic was reason to call and get checked out.

The doctor’s office didn’t seem too worried when I called but scheduled me to come in to be checked out. My urine test was negative for protein but my BP was 160/90. They had me lay on my left side and it came back down to 118/74. 15 minutes later it was 142/78. The doctor felt that these numbers, along with my swelling and general yuckiness (technical term) warranted some monitoring and blood work at Labor & Delivery.

So off we went. Jerry was way more worked up than I was. He was sure that we were going to be having babies TODAY! And he didn’t have his bag packed.

Note puffy face

They hooked me up to fetal monitors and ran some blood work. My BP was also checked every 15 minutes.

4 hours later, the babies look “fabulous” with their perfect little heartbeats and constant dance party. My blood pressure was kind of all over the place but never really hit any alarming levels. The blood work came back negative for preeclampsia so they sent us on our merry way! Crisis averted.

Doctor’s Appt 35w1d

Weight gain – +40. BP 130/80. Protein negative. Measuring 44 weeks.

Apparently I look 100% better than I did on Tuesday (the doctor mentioned it 3 times). And I feel better too. I had the Group B Strep test today and will get the results next week. Babies heartbeats still sound great. And I got the OK to take 12.5 mg of Unisom to help me sleep as needed (YAY!!).

Much to Jerry’s chagrin, they have no idea when these Beans might make their appearance. He finds it unbelievable that in this age of modern medicine, they can’t take a look at me and give me a date. The only thing they can tell me is everything looks good and these two munchkins will decide when they’re ready. I’m OK with that.

How I’m feeling

Buckle up…this is gonna be a long one.

Sleep has been horrendous. I fall asleep right away, but it doesn’t last long. I wake up to pee about an hour after I crash and then it’s a struggle to try and get comfy again. Heaving this huge belly from side to side is absolutely. Between heartburn, aching hips, and my massive girth…I. am. miserable. One night I sat up after 15 minutes of trying to find a comfortable position and just lost it. After a 10 minute cry, I hoisted myself outta bed and just laid on the couch for 3 hours.

I eventually make it back to sleep for a few hours but I’ve been waking up with cramping every morning. I get all “I think I’m in labor!” and then it kind of goes away. Everyone says “Oh, you’ll know!” when contractions actually start, but I have a feeling I’m going to be one of those woman who just thinks they are gas pains. And winds up giving birth in the car.

By mid morning, I definitely feel better. Not good, by any means, just a little more human. The cramps go away and I forget that I only slept for 3 hours.

The swelling is still an issue. Fred Flintstone’s got nothing on me! If I’m on my feet for more than 10-15 minutes, my ankles blow up to grotesque proportions. Want to take a nice long, hot, shower? Too bad, cankle queen….make it snappy. This is the sexy side of pregnancy.

I have officially tapped out of all errands. Jerry is more than willing to hit the grocery store for us but I’m a control freak and insist on going with him. I just can’t do it anymore and will have to trust that he can pick out a nice, unblemished red pepper without supervision.

Heartburn is back. My hips & knees throb all the time. My hands and fingers are constantly falling asleep. I’m snoring like a drunken sailor. Baby girl continues to head bang my bladder so I pee every 15 minutes. I’m having a lot of pelvic pressure and some internal pinching pain. I could go on….

To sum it up, I’m Shamoo-sized pregnant and will basically feel like crap for the next few weeks. YAY!!

Thanks for letting me complain!

Movement

These kids are grounded for their first 2 weeks of life!! I keep telling them to stop punching my organs but they don’t listen. I’m honestly very happy that they move so much but do they have to be so violent? Sheesh.

Sleep

What’s sleep? Oh, I know who I can ask…Jerry! Because he has zero problems sleeping. Not what you want to see at 2 am when you’re bawling your eyes out because you’re so tired and uncomfortable. I know if he could give me his sleep, he would. I’m just jealous.

And here’s a pregnancy PSA…please stop telling me to “Sleep now while you can!”. For the record, you can’t bank sleep. There is no sleep savings account that you can add to now and make withdrawals once the babies are born. So even if I sleep for 12 hours every night until they arrive, I’m still gonna be dead tired after their first night home. Mmmmmkay?

Random thoughts/observations/stuff

* Friday is my last day in the office. I’m so thrilled I have the option of working from home. Because let me tell you, it makes a world of difference in how I feel.